Macrobius
mentioned in the writings of Optatus and Gennadius, was a presbyter of the Catholic church in Africa, during the early part of the fourth century,became attached to the Donatists, and was by them despatched to Rome, where he secretly officiated as bishop of their communion.
Works
Ad Confessores et Virgines
Before his separation he wrote an address, Ad Confessores et Virgines, insisting chiefly on the beauty and holiness of chastity. This is no longer extant.
Epistola de Passione Maximiani et Isaaci Donatistarum
When a heretic, he wrote a letter to the laity of Carthage, entitled Epistola de Passione Maximiani et Isaaci Donatistarum.
Editions
This was first published in an imperfect state, by Mabillon, in his Analecta (8vo. Paris, 1675, vol. iv. p. 119, or 1723, p. 185), and will be found in its most correct form appended to the editions of Optatus, by Du Pin, printed at Paris in 1700, at Amsterdam in 1701, and at Antwerp in 1702.
Possible confusion of two people of the same name
Lardner is inclined to think that Gennadius has made a confusion between two persons of the same name, and that Macrobius, the fourth Donatist bishop of Rome, never was a Catholic.
Furhter Information
Gennad. de Viris Ill. 5; Optatus, 2.4; Honor. 2.5; Trithem. 107; Tillemont, Les Donatistes, not. 21; Lardner, Credibility of Gospel History, c. 67.3.4; Schönemann, Bibliotheca Patrum Lat. vol. 1.4; Bähr, Geschichte der Röm. Litterat. suppl. Band. 2te Abtheil, § 61.
From William Smith (ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Text provided under a CC BY-SA license by Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Tufts University. Data accessed from https://github.com/PerseusDL/canonical-pdlrefwk/ on 17 October 2026.